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Promoting safe and sustainable infrastructure
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Federal Parties Show Varying Levels of Support for Municipal Infrastructure and Climate Changehttps://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/17/federal-parties-show-varying-levels-of-support-for-municipal-infrastructure-and-climate-change/
https://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/17/federal-parties-show-varying-levels-of-support-for-municipal-infrastructure-and-climate-change/#respondSat, 17 Oct 2015 00:46:32 +0000http://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/?p=37Continue reading Federal Parties Show Varying Levels of Support for Municipal Infrastructure and Climate Change]]>October 16, 2015 – As one of the leading voices of public infrastructure in Canada, the Ontario Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure (OCSI) is committed to the sustainability of our transportation, water and sewer systems and other public infrastructure. During this federal election, OCSI asked each of the federal leaders about their party’s position on infrastructure and their funding commitment for municipal infrastructure.

According to the Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada (ACEC), the top three reasons that infrastructure needs to be an election issue are:

Infrastructure is a core responsibility of the government and decisive leadership is needed in 2015 and onward.

Infrastructure grows the economy, strengthens communities and protects the environment. It creates jobs and prosperity.

Sustained, predictable infrastructure investment makes good business sense for governments, taxpayers and all Canadians.

“Climate change has become a reality for many communities who are dealing with intense rainfall and flooding,” stated Carl Bodimeade, Chair of OCSI. “The emerging challenge (and opportunity) is how we prioritize and fund the required infrastructure improvements to make our communities more resilient. The federal government’s role in supporting municipalities is paramount.”

What is your party’s approach and commitment to supporting the infrastructure challenges faced by municipalities in building sustainable communities that are resilient to potential impacts of climate change?

The Liberal Party plans to nearly double the federal infrastructure investment from $65 to $125 billion over 10 years. The Liberal Party will boost investment in green infrastructure by nearly $6billion over the next four years, and almost $20billion over ten years. Dedicated funding will be provided to invest in a broad range of projects including climate resilient infrastructure.

The NDP will invest up to an additional $1.5 billion annually in funding for municipal infrastructure which municipalities will be able to target to local priorities, including adapting to climate change. Together, the NDP’s Better Transit Plan and improved gas tax fund will invest a total of $15.2 billion in new and existing funding over the next 4 years. The NDP will increase funding by increasing the gas tax fund, starting with the equivalent of one additional cent and ramping up to an additional $1.5 billion annually by year 4. By 2020, this will mean municipalities are receiving $3.7 billion annually in core infrastructure funding under the NDP plan.

The Green Party commits to one percentage point of GST which is $6.4 billion/year plus maintaining the gas tax fund of $2 billion/year.

The creation of a Canadian Infrastructure Bank is suggested by both the Green Party and the Liberal Party.

The Conservative Party has not yet submitted a response to the request.

For more information and to read the complete responses from the parties, visit OCSI’s election website at ocsiorg.wordpress.com.

Q1. What is your party’s approach and commitment to supporting the infrastructure challenges faced by municipalities in building sustainable communities that are resilient to potential impacts of climate change?

An NDP government will invest up to an additional $1.5 billion annually in funding for municipal infrastructure, which municipalities will be able to target to local priorities, including adapting to climate change. Our Better Transit Plan will also increase funding by up to $1.3 billion annually, allowing communities to lower pollution with greener public transit. Together, the Better Transit Plan and improved Gas Tax Fund will invest a total of $15.2 billion in new and existing funding over the next 4 years.

The NDP will also invest $150 million in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund to support sustainable development pilot projects, including energy efficiency, energy recovery, and transitioning to cleaner fuel for municipal transit. Our plan for government-backed Green Savings Bonds will also leverage private sector investment to help our communities adapt to climate change. This includes clean energy, energy efficiency and soil decontamination projects to make our communities more efficient, greener and competitive.

Q2. What is your party’s funding commitment for (municipal) infrastructure?

High quality, modern infrastructure is critical to the health of our cities and towns – it’s an essential component of economic growth and competitiveness, it helps to protect our environment, and it contributes to the quality of life of our families. But municipalities have been left to shoulder 60% of the cost of infrastructure with only 8% of the tax base. The result is inevitable: municipalities can barely keep up with repairs, let alone investments in new and badly needed infrastructure.

Municipalities need stable, reliable funding – not one-time only boosts to funding that can be taken away at any time to balance the budget. That’s why we will increase funding for infrastructure by increasing the Gas Tax Fund, starting with the equivalent of one additional cent and ramping up to an additional $1.5 billion annually by year 4. By 2020, this will mean municipalities are receiving $3.7 billion annually in core infrastructure funding.

Across Canada, traffic congestion is polluting our air and costing local economies tens of billions in lower productivity and lost opportunities. In the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area alone the cost is $6 billion annually. An NDP government will tackle gridlock and cut commute times with our Better Transit Plan, in partnership with the provinces and territories. We will increase funding for transit to reach the level of $1.3 billion annually in predictable, stable, and transparent funding, over the next 20 years.

Unlike other parties, we’ve been very clear that our investments in infrastructure and public transit will be public funding—transferred directly to municipalities through the provinces and territories, and will not include private money or loans that need to be repaid with interest. We will also not force municipalities to undertake public-private partnerships, regardless of their size, location or capacity. Instead, we will allow our towns and cities to have the flexibility to decide how best to spend the funding they receive.

]]>https://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/17/response-from-canadas-ndp/feed/0execdirectorocsiResponse from the Green Party of Canadahttps://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/response-from-green-party-of-canada/
https://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/response-from-green-party-of-canada/#respondFri, 02 Oct 2015 16:44:33 +0000http://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/?p=22Continue reading Response from the Green Party of Canada]]>Response from the Green Party of Canada (September 30, 2015)

1. What is your party’s approach and commitment to supporting the infrastructure challenges faced by municipalities in building sustainable communities that are resilient to potential impacts of climate change?

The gap between the infrastructure funding our cities and towns need, and the funding they receive, is reaching crisis levels – Canada’s infrastructure deficit is estimated to be upwards of $350 billion. We will work to close this gap by committing $6.4 billion per year, one point of the GST, to municipal infrastructure – providing stable, longterm funding to Canadian municipalities, creating good local jobs, and building vibrant, safe, and livable Canadian towns and cities. We will create a Canadian Infrastructure Bank to provide more robust and innovative financing and investment partnerships, in order to build safer bridges, better roads, worldclass water treatment facilities, affordable housing, efficient public transportation, and expanded broadband access – putting thousands of Canadians to work in the process. We need to invest in communities resilient to the impacts of climate change.

We will create additional sustainable jobs by reintroducing and expanding the home renovation tax credit, to create incentives for individuals and companies to make their homes and businesses more efficient and accessible by installing high efficiency insulation, solar heating and electricity, energy efficient appliances, and accessibility upgrades. And we will unleash an army of carpenters, electricians and contractors to take outdated public buildings – schools, universities and hospitals – and plug the energy leaks that increase greenhouse gases and costs. These changes alone will reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent nationwide.

2. What is your party’s funding commitment for (municipal) infrastructure?

One percentage point of GST – $6.4 billion/year

Maintaining the Gas Tax Fund – $2 billion/year

Retrofit municipal, university, school and hospital buildings to a high level of efficiency by 2025, using a variety of green tools – $200 million/year

]]>https://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/response-from-green-party-of-canada/feed/0execdirectorocsiResponse from the Liberal Party of Canadahttps://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/response-from-the-liberal-party-of-canada/
https://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/response-from-the-liberal-party-of-canada/#respondFri, 02 Oct 2015 14:57:16 +0000http://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/?p=16Continue reading Response from the Liberal Party of Canada]]>Response from the Liberal Party of Canada (Sept 29, 2015)

Q1. What is your party’s approach and commitment to supporting the infrastructure challenges faced by municipalities in building sustainable communities that are resilient to potential impacts of climate change?

The Liberal Party recognizes that much of the infrastructure that we have now was built for a climate that no longer exists. We also know that when it comes to adapting to climate change, there is a direct connection between readiness and resilience. If we don’t make it a priority to build more resilient communities, we are putting our citizens, our environment and our economy at risk.

It’s time the provinces, territories, and municipalities had a partner in Ottawa willing to both acknowledge this issue, and get serious about preparing for tomorrow’s climate, today. We will work with the other levels of government to develop comprehensive action plan that allows us to better prepare for – and respond to – weather-related emergencies.

We will back up this commitment by providing municipalities with the reliable, stable, substantive funding they need. We will boost investment in green infrastructure by nearly $6 billion over the next four years, and almost $20 billion over ten years. A Liberal government will provide dedicated funding to invest in a broad range of projects including, but not limited to, climate resilient infrastructure. We will also support efforts to prepare for changing weather patterns, such as: protections against wildfires, improved storm water systems to diminish the impact of urban floods, additional dams and dikes to prevent overland or coastal flooding, the reinforcement of energy systems in the face of possible ice storms, and the reinforcement of infrastructure to confront melting permafrost in our North. These and other efforts will be undertaken in partnership with other orders of government and based on the best available science.

Please see below for more information on the Liberal Party’s commitment to infrastructure investment.

Q2. What is your party’s funding commitment for (municipal) infrastructure?

Investing in infrastructure is vital to creating middle class jobs today and sustained economic growth for years to come. Every dollar spent on public infrastructure grows and makes our economy more competitive, while also creating jobs, strengthening our cities and communities, and improving our health, well-being, and quality of life. Liberals believe the timing has also never been more critical. Interest rates for new investment are at historic lows, our current infrastructure is aging, and Canada is in immediate need of a boost in economic growth.

Each year over the next decade, we will steadily increase federal infrastructure investment. At full implementation, this will represent an annual additional investment of $9.5 billion per year. This will almost double federal infrastructure investment to nearly $125 billion – from $65 billion – over ten years, which will be the largest new infrastructure investment in Canadian history.

Our plan will:
• Nearly double federal infrastructure investment to $125 billion – from the current $65 billion – over the next decade, reaching an additional $9.5 billion by year ten;
• Make an immediate down payment to kick-start job creation and economic growth by doubling the current federal infrastructure investment in each of the next two fiscal years;
• Provide new, dedicated funding to provinces, territories, and municipalities for:
o Public transit infrastructure,
o Social infrastructure – including affordable housing and seniors facilities, early learning and child care, and cultural and recreational infrastructure,
o Green infrastructure – including local and wastewater facilities, climate resilient infrastructure, and
clean energy;
• Increase the transparency of the New Building Canada Fund by providing clearer project criteria and faster approval processes that will now prioritize investments in roads, bridges, transportation, ports, and border gateways; and
• Help fund public infrastructure projects with the creation of a new Canada Infrastructure Bank.

A Liberal government will also develop bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories, which will be similar to those created for the successful gas tax transfer to cities and communities. We will not only significantly increase the scale of federal infrastructure investment; our plan will provide provinces, territories, and municipalities with an unprecedented level of long-term predictability in funding, as well. This will be done in full respect of provincial jurisdiction.

A Liberal government will automatically transfer any uncommitted federal infrastructure funds near the end of any fiscal year to municipalities, through a temporary top-up of the Gas Tax Fund. This will ensure that no committed infrastructure money is allowed to lapse, but is instead always invested in communities across the country.

]]>https://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/response-from-the-liberal-party-of-canada/feed/0execdirectorocsiLetter to Federal Leadershttps://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/letter-to-federal-leaders/
https://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/letter-to-federal-leaders/#respondFri, 02 Oct 2015 14:38:32 +0000http://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/?p=13Continue reading Letter to Federal Leaders]]>The purpose of this communication is to gain insight into your Party’s present position on infrastructure. Public infrastructure is often “out of sight, out of mind” and its importance to the economy and the quality of life enjoyed by Canadians is frequently forgotten.

According to the Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada (ACEC), the top three reasons that infrastructure needs to be an election issue are:

Infrastructure is a core responsibility of the government and decisive leadership is needed in 2015 and onward.

Infrastructure grows the economy, strengthens communities and protects the environment. It creates jobs and prosperity.

Sustained, predictable infrastructure investment makes good business sense for governments, taxpayers and all Canadians.

We have two questions we would like you to address (as noted below). The answers to these questions will be distributed to our respective association’s memberships so that they can be aware of your Party’s position on these issues. To facilitate this, we respectfully request that we receive your responses by September 30, 2015.

Q1. What is your party’s approach and commitment to supporting the infrastructure challenges faced by municipalities in building sustainable communities that are resilient to potential impacts of climate change?

Q2. What is your party’s funding commitment for (municipal) infrastructure?

In anticipation of your response, I thank you on behalf of OCSI.

]]>https://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/letter-to-federal-leaders/feed/0Brackfriers Bridge London Ontarioexecdirectorocsiocsi_logo_rgbx150Who is OCSI?https://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/who-is-ocsi/
https://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/who-is-ocsi/#respondFri, 02 Oct 2015 14:30:08 +0000http://ocsiorg.wordpress.com/?p=5Continue reading Who is OCSI?]]>As one of the leading voices of public infrastructure in Canada, the Ontario Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure (OCSI) is committed to the sustainability of our transportation, water and sewer systems and other public infrastructure in Ontario. Our mandate is: Promoting safe and sustainable infrastructure. Our coalition of associations represents public works practitioners in Ontario including: